


Fieldwork

by littlereyofsunlight



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Dinner Party, F/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2019-11-16
Packaged: 2021-02-07 06:17:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21453385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlereyofsunlight/pseuds/littlereyofsunlight
Summary: In an AU where Steve is found when the Valkyrie crashes, Steve and Peggy prepare to host a high-stakes dinner party for a very important guest. Jarvis suggests that his wife Ana, who Peggy and Steve have yet to meet, should help out.
Relationships: Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers
Comments: 6
Kudos: 64





	Fieldwork

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on tumblr as part of Steggy Week 2018.

Ana Jarvis surveyed the kitchen before her, snapping out and refolding the dish towel in her hands. The white wine was chilled, its silver bucket sweating onto the counter. A green salad rested in the crystal serving bowl she’d borrowed from Howard’s pantry. The Vichyssoise soup for the first course rested in the fridge in a matching tureen. Brown sugar-roasted carrots were warming on the back of the stove beside the potatoes, piping bag ready nearby for when she needed to begin plating dinner. The irresistible smell of her brisket wafted from the oven, and as she smiled to herself at another job well done, the timer buzzed. The canapés were ready.

As she took the tray of puff pastry out of the oven, Peggy Carter swept into the room in a midnight blue cocktail dress, the gauzy peplum at the waist fluttering with her movements. She was securing one of her earrings. “Mrs. Jarvis, may I ask your opinion?”

“Sometimes you’ll have it before you can even ask, my dear.” She gave Peggy a broad smile. “And please, call me Ana. Edwin’s spoken so much of you in the past few months, I feel as if we must be friends already.”

Peggy smiled back. “In that case, Ana, what do you think of these earrings? Are they special enough for tonight?” She looked down at the earring still in her hand and frowned. “Or are they too much?” She looked back up at Ana. “I’m never this indecisive! But Steve and I need everything to be perfect tonight. What if the Secretary hates seeing women in gaudy earrings? Or he thinks they’re too much or too little, based on Steve’s salary, for his wife to be wearing?” Peggy blinked. “This is ridiculous, I’m talking myself in circles. It’s just that I’ve never hosted a dinner party before and I find myself out of my element. I’m afraid I might be nervous.”

“Well, it’s quite the undertaking for your first week as a newlywed.” Stepping closer, Ana gently patted Peggy’s outstretched hand. “These earrings are lovely, dear. Understated and elegant. Did you bring them from home?”

“Of course.” Peggy blinked again. “Oh, home, yes, they belonged to my aunt. She passed before the war.” She finished putting her earrings on, looking at the canapés as Ana plated them. “Those look delicious. I’m so grateful you were available to help us on such short notice. I’m absolutely rubbish in the kitchen.”

“It’s a lovely change of pace,” Ana replied, popping a crumb into her mouth. “Mr. Stark eats out almost exclusively, so I only have my dear Edwin to impress.”

Peggy snuck a bit of pastry, earning an indulgent smile from Ana. “What’s Mr. Jarvis doing for his supper tonight, then?”

Ana scrubbed at a spot on the counter. “It’s leftovers, for once. The soup’s a new recipe, so I made a batch at home yesterday.” She shook out the dish towel again. “I’m happy to report it earned rave reviews.”

“Kind of him to rough it for the evening.”

“It does make him appreciate me all the more when I return.” Ana gave her a conspiratorial wink. “Though at this point, I’d hope you and Captain Rogers are a year away from wanting to employ such tactics. Edwin and I couldn’t get enough of one another when we were newly married.”

Peggy smiled absently. “Speaking of, Steve should be back soon. I’d asked him to pick up flowers on his way from the office. I should finish getting ready in case our guest of honor has the temerity to actually be punctual. Please excuse me.”

“Of course.” As Peggy retreated down the hallway to the master bedroom, Ana turned back to her domain. There were a few utensils in the sink that needed her attentions.

Steve Rogers arrived home at six-thirty on the dot, while Ana busied herself with cleaning the bay window in the dining room. A gust of wind blew in with him, scattering leaves over the mosaic tile in the entryway. “Darn,” he muttered, shaking a few raindrops from his hair as he stepped gingerly around the debris.

“Don’t worry about that, I’ll go grab the broom,” Ana called from her perch in the window.

Steve startled. “I didn’t see you there!” He put down his briefcase and crossed over to her. “You must be Mrs. Jarvis.” He stuck out his free hand, a giant bouquet clenched in the other. “Steve Rogers, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Thank you so much for your help tonight.”

Ana took his hand and used it for balance as she climbed out of the window sill. “I’m glad to be of service, Captain Rogers.” She gestured to the flowers. “Would you like me to take care of those while you freshen up before your guest arrives?”

Steve handed them over. “That would be wonderful. And please, it’s just Steve.” He shrugged out of his jacket and hung it up in the coat closet. “It smells amazing in here.”

“Thank you, Steve. The brisket is a family recipe.”

He smiled what she supposed was his Captain America smile at her. “I’m really looking forward to it.”

“Mrs. Rogers impressed upon me how important this dinner is tonight.” Ana ran her thumb over the velvety soft petal of a rose in the bouquet. “So we pulled out all the stops. I think you’ll especially like the dress she picked out to go with your eyes.”

Steve swallowed thickly. “I’ll, uh, just go get ready for dinner, then.” She checked her watch. “You have at least twenty-five minutes to do that and greet your wife properly,” Ana smiled to herself as she swept back into the kitchen, inhaling the scent of the flowers in her arms as she went.

She overheard as Steve politely knocked on the door before he entered, though their low voices didn’t carry clearly down the hall. The door closed rather quickly. Ana smirked, imagining just the sort of welcome Peggy might give that strapping young man, and chuckled to herself.

Not long after, Peggy appeared again, smoothing down a wayward curl. She’d put on a cheery red lipstick and navy t-strap heels to match her dress. “Still nervous, my dear?”

“Hm?” Peggy trailed her fingers over the embroidery on one of the linen napkins Ana had brought over with the crystal. “A little, I suppose. It’s a new role for me. I want to do it credit.”

“Well, from what Edwin tells me, your Mr. Rogers thinks you can do no wrong, so I hope you’re not worried you’ll let him down. I simply don’t believe such a thing is possible.”

She was rewarded with a genuine smile from Peggy then, small and warm as she looked down and twisted the slim band of gold on her finger. “Do you think so?”

Ana cocked her head. Newlywed nerves, there was nothing like them! “My husband is an excellent judge of these things, so I feel confident saying yours is head over heels for you.” She put her hand on her hip. “Now, help me set out Mr. Stark’s silver, if you please.”

When Steve appeared in his dress uniform, Ana tasked him with setting out the candles. “These are nice,” Steve commented, trimming a wick before he set up the taper. “Peggy, are they yours?”

Peggy threw him an inscrutable look. “I’m sure you mean ‘ours’, Steve.” She fluffed an intricately folded napkin at the opposite side of the table. “But no, we’ve rather a dearth of fine china and such between us. Ana arrived this afternoon with what seems to be half of Howard’s collection.”

Steve nodded, taking this information in stride. “Clearly you were well-briefed on the mission, Mrs. Jarvis.” This statement earned him another strange look from Peggy.

“Consider it my wedding gift to you both,” Ana replied. “Now, everything seems to be in place. Shall I make you both cocktails while you wait for your guest to arrive?”

Proving just how in sync they already were, Peggy and Steve responded in unison, with surprising vehemence. “Please!”

* * *

_Three days prior … _

“I beg your pardon, Jack?” Peggy sputtered, crossing her arms over her chest in a gesture Steve recognized immediately. Reflexively, he took a step out of the line of fire.

“You wanted to be doing fieldwork Carter, now’s your chance.” Thompson looked over at Steve and rolled his eyes. It took all of Steve’s control to keep his own face blank at the blatant disrespect. “Rogers says you did your share of undercover work during the war. Unless he meant a different kind of undercover,” he smirked, and Steve’s fist flexed of its own accord, “but either way, your history with Captain America is an asset here, and it’s my job to leverage that.”

“Be that as it may, why have you concocted this additional storyline?” Thompson squinted at her, lips pursed. “Your beau—” here Peggy tried to interrupt him, as she and Steve weren’t actually dating, despite what that horrible radio show insinuated, but Jack steamrolled over her objections— “may have the brawn for SSR work, but he’s yet to prove he’s got the chops to keep a target occupied as long as we need him to without throwing a punch.” Steve felt less inclined to punch Jack when he himself was the target of his insults. But only slightly. “That’s where you come in, Marge.” Steve could tell she was grinding her molars.

“I don’t follow,” he spoke up, hoping to give her some time to rein in her ire.

Jack rolled his eyes again. “Dinner at a restaurant leaves too many variables. Can you think of a plausible reason your coworker should join you for a meal at home with this muckety-muck?”

“No,” Steve allowed. Jack did have a point there.

“Great.” Thompson clapped his hands together. “I now pronounce you man and wife, at least until we’re able to wire up Secretary Fletcher’s townhome for surveillance. Then you two can go back to whatever it is you do that is not dating.” He went back to the paperwork on his desk.

Steve hazarded another glance at Peggy. She was seething. A vein stood out near her hairline, her eyes blazing, and there was more color in her cheeks than usual. She looked magnificent.

He stifled the urge to sigh. The familiar confusion returned, too many thoughts crowding in at once, and Peggy at the center of them all once more. He’d been hoping for a chance to get back into her good graces for months. It didn’t seem like this would be it.

Jack looked up. “What are you two doing? Scram. Go take a wedding photo or something.”

They left, Steve holding the door for Peggy. She said nothing to him, her nose in the air as she stalked back to her desk.

He didn’t think it was a good idea to follow her, but they had to make a plan for Friday night. “I, uh, don’t have too many recipes,” he started.

She gave him a withering look. “You certainly aren’t expecting me to cook.” It wasn’t a question.

“No! Not at all.” He rubbed the back of his neck, wracking his brain. He should have known not to open with the cooking. “I was hoping maybe you knew someone who might be able to help? Someone who might be able to help us keep up the ruse?”

The anger on her face melted into thoughtfulness as Peggy considered his suggestion. He couldn’t help the soaring feeling in his own stomach when she brightened at hitting upon an idea. “I think a friend of a friend might be up to the task. And I’m owed a favor, as it turns out.”

So that was how Steve had come to be at a strange home, belonging to the SSR, playing at being Peggy’s husband. His heart ached as he came in the front door, imagining, had things been different, that this could be every evening with Peggy. The house was cozy, tidy and brightly lit. The smell of dinner wafting in from the kitchen was mouth-watering. He met Ana Jarvis, who’d taken to her role with aplomb, calling Peggy ‘Mrs. Rogers’ in a way that made him feel warm all over. He supposed it was good to practice now. He’d never been very adept at lying. Ana directed him down the hall to get ready, and he steeled himself as he knocked on the door to the master bedroom.

Peggy opened it quickly and yanked him inside by his tie. “We have a problem,” she said, keeping her voice low.

Steve blinked, taking in the sight of Peggy dressed to the nines, her hair pulled back in combs so that it fell in soft waves against her neck. The square neckline of her dress showed off what seemed like acres of creamy skin, while the gathering at the shoulders and over the bust did wonders for her—already amazing—figure. “A...problem?” He blinked again and looked away, trying to focus on anything but the way that Peggy looked, standing alone with him in a bedroom.

“Some wires must have been crossed in relaying my request. Mrs. Jarvis seems to be under the impression that we are, in fact, blissful newlyweds.”

The look on her face was dire, but all Steve could think to do in that moment was laugh.


End file.
